Policies

UCLA Extension’s Principles of Governance

UCLA Extension’s Principles of Governance

UCLA Extension is an academic division of UCLA, one of the ten campuses of the University of California. Its policy and practice are rooted in provisions of state and federal law, system-wide authority and regulations of the UC Office of the President and the UC Academic Senate, and local UCLA administrative and academic policies. The Dean of UCLA Continuing Education and Extension promulgates policy that conforms to these source authorities and refines how we fulfill our mission of continuing education and public service.

Under UCLA Extension Policies, you will find policy documents that may be of interest and help you understand the regulations that govern University operations. For further information, please contact the UCLA Extension Office of the Dean at (310) 825-2362 or DeansOffice@uclaextension.edu.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services. The University also prohibits sexual harassment. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access, and treatment in University programs and activities.

Inquiries regarding the University's nondiscrimination policies and reports of violations are welcomed at the Dean's Office, UCLA Extension, (310) 825-2362 or DeansOffice@uclaextension.edu.

Other Important Documents

For information regarding the data we collect about students, privacy rules, and how data is managed and protected, please see our Privacy Notification.

Students and instructors are welcome to review terms and conditions of enrollment, which are described in the Student Services section of this website.  Students will find other materials about services by logging into the Student Portal.

Students and instructors may also explore terms and conditions of instruction found in Extension's Instructor Resource site.  This site also provides instructors information about employment, academic instructional services, and best practices.

UCLA Extension Policies

Academic Affairs

The academic and administrative calendars for the University are established by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. The institutional calendars are referenced by the campuses' chancellors and conveyed to and employed by the academic and administrative leadership throughout the University. By fixing the calendar centrally, the transferability of students and faculty for guest attendance at other campuses can be accomplished without disruption. By addressing a centrally coordinated calendar, UCLA Extension's program necessarily harmonizes with UCLA's allocation and use of resource such as classroom space and parking services.

To inform UCLA Extension's planning process and to ensure its compatibility with campus services, the Extension Registrar will publish an internal academic and administrative calendar at least two years and as many as four years into the future that fully reconciles to the institutional calendar. The purpose of this policy is to declare this practice, and to provide further direction with respect to practices unique to the administration of UCLA Extension's calendar.

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A valuable work experience can provide students with insight to their chosen field of study and will serve to enhance and illustrate principles learned in the classroom. UCLA Extension therefore organizes fieldwork experiences as credit or non-credit-bearing courses in order to record students’ engagement in practical workplace Internships. UCLA Extension enrolls nearly 600 students per year in classes organized as Internships. This policy defines conditions that will promote the academic value of internships and stipulates roles and responsibilities to limit exposure to unnecessary risk in an activity subject to close scrutiny.

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As a tax-supported public trust, the University of California provides enrollment opportunities for the general public – redefined as Extension students – to experience regular session instruction, provided classroom space is available and the prospective student is academically prepared for the instruction. UCLA Extension is tasked with providing the apparatus for enrollment management, for extramural record-keeping and for ancillary services to support this student population.

Concurrent is defined in Senate Regulation 800 as a type of course in which there is a mix of matriculants and Extension students. In all cases, the concurrent course exists as an offering of UCLA’s regular session. Concurrent course, concurrent student and concurrent enrollment have become terms used somewhat interchangeably, however all refer to the service involving the enrollment of non-matriculated Extension students into regular session UCLA courses. Since it is an open enrollment institution in its own right, there is no concurrent enrollment in UCLA Summer Sessions.

The purpose of this policy is to provide definition to the process and service environment.

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The University of California has a tripartite mission: research, teaching and public service. UCLA Extension is a teaching arm of the University, although its role as a leader in professional and continuing education is also widely viewed as an expression of UC's public service mission. Research, the creation and dissemination of new knowledge, is not generally viewed as part of Extension's role, but it can intersect with its teaching and public service missions.

Extension's teaching portfolio includes courses in which research methodology may be taught, even as University policy does not provide for research by Extension students. The principal purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to distinguish instruction in research methodology from research thereby ensuring compliance. The policy also draws attention to University policy as it applies to research based public service projects Extension may undertake, and to describe internal review and approval process for such projects.

This policy further identifies those with delegated responsibility for conducting market research, affirms the ethical standards by which Extension tests its marketing strategies, and identifies to whom responsibility is delegated for surveying staff, students and instructors reflecting our commitment to the continuous improvement of service.

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Recordings can serve the interests of the learning community by providing students with a convenient study aid or with evidence of accomplishment before the camera. Recordings can provide instructors with feedback on the effectiveness of their presentation. However, recording and other communication devices can also be sources of distraction that interfere with the learning process; and if misused can facilitate academic dishonesty or the theft of intellectual property. 

UCLA Extension programs may not be recorded or reproduced in any medium for either non-commercial or commercial public distribution without the prior explicit permission of the Dean of UCLA Extension. The purpose of this policy is to identify those to whom authority has been delegated to grant permission for recording when there is no public distribution, and to ensure that when approved, the act of recording does not interfere with the learning process. 

Selling, preparing or distributing lecture notes or video or audio recordings of any UCLA Extension course for any public distribution is prohibited.

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To ensure conformity with the University's academic standards defined in Senate Regulation, and to facilitate communication between Extension's academic staff and colleagues in other University academic departments, UCLA Extension classifies its courses using a methodology that enjoys University-wide recognition. Furthermore, Extension uses criteria and standards described herein to determine the classification of newly developed courses. This policy represents a restatement of various UC Academic Senate Regulations, and historic decisions of the UCLA Academic Senate Committee on University Extension ("ASCUE") and its successor, the Senate Committee on Continuing and Community Education ("CCCE"). 

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UCLA Extension's standards and policies regarding the award of academic credit and the assignment of grades adhere to those defined in UC Academic Senate regulations and those of the Los Angeles Division of the Senate. They also adhere to standards regarding the award of the Continuing Education Unit ("CEU") defined by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training ("IACET"). This policy lists the relevant specific provisions of those authorities, and identifies special provisions granted for the proper academic administration of Extension's program by Senate committees of the Los Angeles Division.

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UCLA Extension employs approximately 2,500 instructors each year, drawing from the faculties of the University of California and other regional research and comprehensive universities, the California State University System, and the Community College Districts; in some cases apprentice instructional personnel who are graduate students at the University of California; and a significant number of persons distinguished in southern California's diverse business, manufacturing, research and professional practice communities. 

In accordance with Standing Orders of the Regents and the regulations of the Academic Senate, all persons designated as instructors in charge of Extension courses bearing academic credit will be approved through the agency of the Academic Senate. Such endorsement ensures that Extension's instructors are competent to present the material described, and that they are qualified to assess the work presented to them by their students – the successful completion of which leads to the award of academic credit. 

This policy restates the source documents and authorities for the benefit of Extension's program development staff engaged in the selection and oversight of instructors, and for those whose approval is sought. It also defines the procedures that will ensure compliance with Senate regulation and University policy which have been promulgated to fulfill public expectations of excellence, and to protect and enhance the reputation of the University of California. 

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UCLA Extension offers to the public approximately 4,500 courses and programs each year. Of these, a significant number will be newly developed and conducted for the first time. 

This policy restates the source documents and authorities regarding the approval of new courses offering academic credit. It is for the benefit of Extension's academic staff engaged in their development, and for those whose approval is sought. It provides guidance and defines procedures which will ensure high quality and compliance with Senate regulation and University policy. 

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UCLA Extension certificate programs address the needs for professional advancement, career transition, practical skills training and the personal development of the individual student; and address the high-level training needs of various arts, service and manufacturing industries important to the local economy. These programs help define the character and standing of continuing higher education within the university community as well as the communities we serve at home and abroad. All programs are characterized by a balance of theory and practice appropriate to the discipline.

This policy ensures conformity with the University’s academic standards and policies; establishes requirements for the design, academic approval, oversight, and change management of our programs; and provides for the administration of the academic affairs of the students resident therein.

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Student Affairs

This policy provides students with a fair opportunity to gracefully withdraw from an enrollment commitment. If requested prior to a defined final date for refund, we offer our students the right to change their minds, in many cases after they have sampled instruction already underway. If requested after the defined final date for refund, we provide a claims process that is principled and responsive to students’ life circumstance. Furthermore, if after an investigation there is a finding that we failed to deliver instruction as promised, we fairly make our students whole by refunding them their fees or forgiving a related indebtedness. In all cases, we are committed to the timely resolution of all claims by all to whom reviews are delegated.

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The purpose of this policy is to reaffirm our commitment to protect the confidentiality of our students' and other clients' records and all personally identifiable information contained therein, and to memorialize our specific obligations under UC and UCLA policies, federal law, state law, and bank and credit card consortium regulations regarding the management of the data contained therein. 

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Underlying our educational mission are basic values that bind students and instructors alike into a community of learners. These values include an expectation of intellectual honesty; the fostering of mutual trust and respect; regard for others’ freedom of speech, thought and belief; freedom of inquiry; joy in learning; freedom from discrimination; and a rejection of all forms of intimidation, harassment, disruption or violence aimed at limiting these freedoms, or interfering with a student’s, instructor’s or staff member’s performance of their University responsibilities.

This policy outlines the code of conduct, rights and responsibilities for Extension students, and sets forth applicable disciplinary procedures and sanctions for violation of this code.

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In keeping with the University’s principles of community and ethical values, Extension promotes fairness and due process in conflict resolution and strives to foster and co-create a vibrant learning community. Students in UCLA Extension courses and programs have the right to learn and study in an equitable and inclusive environment. When an Extension student feels they have been treated unfairly or in a manner that violates University policy, they may seek to address and resolve their concerns.

This policy codifies the process for mediating grievances made by Extension students, and defines expectations for fact-finding and resolution.

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Facilities

The Division of Continuing Education, like any organization, is vulnerable to loss caused either by natural disasters of varying magnitude, or by human mischief ranging from crimes against property to acts of war. The purpose of this policy is to define an administrative environment that fosters the health, safety and security of our students, staff and instructors; that protects the assets entrusted to our care; and that minimizes the impact and duration of interruptions to our operations. The scale and scope of the events anticipated by this policy ranges from isolated emergencies affecting only a small number of individuals to large-scale emergencies affecting our region.

This policy defines essential planning responsibilities that are embedded into our work routine, as well as roles to be engaged during an emergency. At all times, we are mindful that UCLA Extension is integrated into the emergency planning for the entire University community. We therefore build upon and benefit from the planning efforts of others who bring the resources of the University to bear in such fields as medicine, public health, engineering, facility management, material management and procurement, and security. The relationship management of our liaisons is therefore a central feature of this security and emergency action plan.

To ensure its currency and relevance and to routinely raise the consciousness of the organization, the Deans Office will undertake an annual review of this policy and complete the business continuity planning coordinated by the Office of the President. So that the institutional budget and planning cycle can be tactically informed, this policy review and business- continuity exercise will be conducted each year in the month of February. 

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Computing and Communication

UCLA Extension's information security policy ensures that its critical operations, assets and customers are properly protected. Due to the increasing value of the data we collect, store and process, we are committed to its protection, the enforcement of applicable regulatory guidelines and routine assessment of security risks. 

This policy applies to all employees, vendors and business partners with whom data is shared or to whom data is accessible. This policy mandates employment of daily operational security procedures. 

This policy ensures compliance with applicable laws and standards, protects the University from liability and protects the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our information systems, data and network resources. 

A copy shall be provided to contractors, vendors, service providers and business partners who have access to data. Third party persons (i.e. vendors, service providers) who do not comply with this policy may be subject to appropriate actions as defined in their contractual agreements.

Per Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS) PCI DSS v2.0 requirements 12.1, 12.1.3, this policy must be substantively reviewed annually by the managing cashier in Student Services and the Director of Information Technology Services (ITS). Revisions driven either by security incidents discovered during the year or by revisions and updates to the card industry's data security standards will be proposed to the Dean for incorporation.

This policy meets the requirements for having a policy on Information Security as required by the PCI DSS v. 2.0, requirements 12.2, 12.4. This policy will be construed to be superseded by any provision of UC or UCLA policy or California law regarding information security should any conflict be found.

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